From my early beginnings as a young introvert, the public library has always been a bit of a refuge. Years later, not much has changed, albeit with an additional affinity for endless hours spent scouring second-hand bookstores to add to my ever-growing “to-read” pile.
From one bookworm to another, this column will be underscoring and outlining various literary genres, authors, and recent reads and can serve as an introduction for those unfamiliar with these works, as a refresher for long-time aficionados, and maybe as an inspiration for readers to share their own suggested topics. Do you have a topic that you would like covered in this column? Feel free to contact me for an interview and a feature in an upcoming column.
Who
This week, we focus on British author, photographer, and mathematician Lewis Carroll.
Carroll was born on January 27, 1832, in Daresbury, Cheshire, England and died on January 14, 1898, in Guildford, Surrey, England.
What
Some of Carroll’s notable works include novels, such as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poem The Hunting of the Snark.
Where
These works are set throughout a variety of geographical locations, including England, as well as fictional locations, such as Wonderland.
When
These works are set in the 19th century.
Why
Carroll’s works deal with a variety of themes, such as childhood, innocence, identity, curiosity, and growing up. These particular themes may be of interest to a variety of AU learners, including those interested in literature, sociology, and psychology.
How
AU’s wide range of diverse courses make it easy to study this topic in depth. Courses related to the works of Lewis Carroll are available in a variety of disciplines, including those that may fit into your Degree Works. (Always check with an AU counsellor to see if these particular courses fulfill your personal graduation requirements!)
AU students interested in learning more about this topic may enroll in ENGL 305: Literature for Children, a senior-level, three-credit course, which “introduces the student to children’s literature, its history and development, and its rich variety of forms and techniques.” (Please note that this course requires ENGL 211: Prose Forms and ENGL 212: Poetry and Prose as prerequisites).
In addition, students may be interested in two other senior-level, three-credit courses, namely ENGL 395: The Nineteenth-Century English Novel, which “introduces the student to some of the major English novels of the nineteenth century” and ENG 393: The Early Twentieth-Century English Novel, which “focuses on the first four decades of the twentieth-century British novel, its history and development, its rich variety of forms and techniques, and the ideas and events that influenced it.” (Both courses also require ENGL 211 and ENGL 212 as prerequisites). Happy reading!